An Admirer's Gifts
by maskedgoomba
Summary: Recieving gifts from an unknown admirer, Naruto sets off on a mission to discover the person's identify; accidentally dragging team's 7, 8, and 10 for the ride. Miscommunications, secrets, revelations and much much more abound.
1. The Eating of Funny Chocolates

**An Admirer's Gifts******

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto. Slight spoilers here and there, Very Lewd Humor (R-rating, but listed as PG-13), and OOCness (but I try to explain the OOCness :p).

**Quick Facts**: Characters are older, around 15-16 in this fic.

**Chapter 1: **The eating offunny Chocolates

Naruto unlocked the door to his apartment and walked in. He tossed his keys on a side table, looking right over a present box wrapped in a bright pink ribbon. Instead of eating some instead ramen and showering, he kicked off his sandals and fell into bed; falling asleep the moment his sleepy head hit the pillow.

As of late, Team 7, 8, and 10, were holding daily joint scrimmages. The scrimmages were savage little affairs where each team is given an objective and then was let loose to achieve it by any means possible.

To make prevent any life threatening injuries, their Jounin teachers kept a watchful eye on every fight. Not to say there was not any close calls, because there was.

Thanks to Hinata, Sakura had taken a chakra blow that nearly snapped the inner coils around her right lung. Shikamaru had come within a hair of splitting his skull open, and Kiba took brunt of Naruto's adaptation of Kakashi's 1000 years of pain. Everyone had experienced at least one critical injury, but thanks to the Jounin teachers, they were able to recover and rejoin the practice as soon as possible. 

The scrimmages were exhausting and even Naruto, who almost always begged for new challenges, felt like collapsing the moment the practices ended.

But it was working.

Everyone felt stronger, faster, healthier, and smarter. Not only did they get better physically, but mentally as well. Hinata, who seemed to lack any self-esteem whatsoever, became bolder and more confident—although still shy, but now much more self-assured.

And on days when the teams were exempt from practice, they still spent time with each other. Naruto, the outcast since forever, grew closer to each member of the rival teams. He learned Chouji is quite a talented artist, and of all people, Shino likes watching soap operas, taping them whenever he could not be home. Ino owns a flower shop, and Hinata makes a mean miso ramen. Sasuke is absolutely terrified of clowns and Sakura reads mountains upon mountains of books.

Naruto slept in bed, a large tired smile tugging at his mouth. The others were his friends, and they liked him, respected him - they _acknowledged_ him.

**

The following day, Naruto and probably all of Team 7, 8, and 10 slept in.  After a week of missions, immediately followed by brutal scrimmages, Saturday – a full day of rest and relaxation – was a god send.

Naruto slept well past noon and would have stayed in bed if not for a knock at his door.

"Go away! I'm sleeping!" he yelled grumpily.

The knocking turned into banging and Naruto became aware of someone, probably the person banging on the door, was yelling for him to wake up. He stuck his head underneath his pillow hoping it would muffle the sounds.

If possible the sounds grew much louder. It sounded as if his door was being pounded with a seven-ton sledgehammer.

"I'm up, I'm up!" Naruto yelled, swinging his feet off his bed and walking toward the door. "Will you stop banging-- fuck!" he hissed in pain as he stubbed his toe. "I swear-- if that's you, Konohamaru... I'm gonna--" He opened the door and was surprised to see Hinata and Sakura standing on the other side. The sight of the two drove the tiredness from his face. "Good morning!"

"Morning, Naruto," said Sakura.

"Good morning, Naruto-kun," said Hinata, still shy on the inside, but now able to talk face to face.

Naruto opened the door fully. "Come in, come in," he glanced a look around his apartment; scattered food wrappers, technique scrolls, piles of clothing. His eyes widened when he saw his underwear with little ducky designs sticking out on top of a clothing pile. "Umm... don't mind the mess. I'll clean up real quick."

He rushed around the house scooping up his most embarrassing things - every article of embarrassing clothing, soap opera tapes from Shino, the _paradise_ series of books loaned from Kakashi, and the little stuffed puppy animal he slept with every night – and threw it into his closet.

Hinata and Sakura had already pulled up seats around his kitchen table and were waiting for him. He glanced around and despite his efforts at quick cleaning; his apartment was still a sty.

He looked at both Hinata and Sakura, apologetically. "I'm sorry," he said, "if I'd known you two were coming, I would have cleaned up more..."

"Do you need any help, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked helpfully. "With cleaning, I mean. Because if you want, we could give you a hand..."

"Excuse me, _we?_" Sakura stared at Hinata, then visibly winced (ahem, kick under the table from Hinata). "Right then, of course. We'd be happy to help you. But you better do your share, Naruto. Cause if you make me and Hinata do all your work for you... " she trailed off warningly, finishing instead by sending a pointed glance at Naruto.

"Right..." Naruto gulped visibly. "Umm, Hinata would you mind if you rolled up those scrolls? Sakura-chan, help me with the dishes?"

"You have dishes?" Sakura raised in eyebrow. "Why would _you _have dishes? You live by yourself, you shouldn't have any dishes!" she glanced at the huge pile in the sink. "At least, not this many..."

"How should I know why I have this many, I just do. And they definitely need to be washed." He shrugged his shoulders. "I guess they just piled up over time."

And Naruto was more than right. Even if he was living alone, Naruto _never_ washed his dishes, and over time they just began to stack up. Plates and bowls from 5 months back were still sitting untouched at the bottom of the sink.

Naruto and Sakura stood side to side, he was washing and she was drying.

"What is that?" she sniffed one of the plates and handed it back to him. "Do you smell that?"

"Smell what?" he asked, smelling the plate then shaking his head. "I don't know what're you talking about. I don't smell anything--"

"How can you not smell anything? It's one of the most foul things I've ever smelled..." she looked at him. "You don't have a stuffy nose do you?"

 "Nope."

"Then why don't you smell anything? It's pretty vile--" she scrunched her nose at him. "My god. It's you, Naruto!" She sniffed his shirt for good measure, and then visibly recoiled as if he'd hit her. "It is you! The smell's coming from you!"

"I don't smell!" he yelled, indignant. 

"You're probably just used to your own stench, either that or you just have a really strong nose..." said Sakura, her fingers pinching her nose close. She looked at him and saw he was still wearing the clothes he had on during training last night. "Naruto, you did remember to take a shower last night, right?"

"Hmm... Now that you mention it," he smiled sheepishly. "I think it kind of slipped my mind. I was too lazy to change my clothes, too."

"The smells probably embedded in your skin now..." she pushed him away from the kitchen and toward his bathroom. "I'll happily do your dishes, as long as you would just go and take a shower. Oh, and take a long one too—and make sure you don't skimp on the soaps and shampoos. God only knows what it'll take to get that smell out."

He stepped inside the bathroom and closed the door. He ran the shower and was undressing when he heard knock. "Oh, and Naruto... hand me your clothes."

He cracked open the door and tossed everything through, then asked, "Why?"

"Someone needs to wash them," Sakura gagged. She must have smelled the clothes again. "Or burn 'em if need be..."

**

Sakura and Hinata were busy cleaning up the rest of the apartment.

Hinata was dutifully rolling up all the technique scrolls and Sakura was using Naruto's spare kunai to pick up dirty clothes and toss them into a laundry basket.

"Now this is absolutely disgusting," said Sakura, who was holding up a black sock.

Hinata rolled her eyes at Sakura, "I know it's probably been on Naruto's feet, but really Sakura, it's just a black sock."

"Wrong, here-- look at the inside," Sakura opened the open end and show it to Hinata. "See, it's a white sock. All that stuff on the outside is dirt and who knows what else..." she smirked. "Here Hinata, catch!" 

The sock flew threw air and landed on Hinata's face. She made a spluttering sort of sound as she tossed the sock aside. 

She looked at Sakura with mild annoyance. "Was that really necessary? What if it had gotten into my mouth?"

Sakura laughed. "Well, that gets you back for volunteering me to clean Naruto's apartment in the first place. I mean really, Hinata, what were you thinking?"

"I don't know," said Hinata, her voice suddenly serious. "It's just that sometimes... I feel sorry for Naruto, you know? He's so strong and I admire him for having learned to take care of himself, but that's so sad in a way. He has no one too really take care of him; to worry and fuss over him like a real parent does... And I figured that... I was thinking... I don't know, maybe..." Hinata sighed, "To tell you the truth, I don't know what I was thinking. I just thought it would be a nice thing to do, that's all."

"Hinata..." Sakura looked at the girl sizing her up shrewdly and then asking, "You still like Naruto, don't you?

Hinata looked at Sakura in alarm. "No, I don't think I like Naruto anymore. At least, I think I've moved on... But the issue is kind of moot since he never noticed that I liked him to in the first," she laughed uneasily, "But that's Naruto for you – absolutely clueless..."

"Hmph. You're right about him being clueless." Sakura said. "I bet if you wrote 'I like you, Naruto' on a brick and beat him over the head with it every hour on the hour, he still wouldn't get the hint--"

Hinata giggled. "Well you are beating him with a brick after all. Not exactly the most romantic way to say 'I like you'."

"It depends on the person really," Sakura threw back. "Some people say I like you with chocolates. Others say it with flowers or love letters. But there are those special people where it takes nothing short of daily brick beatings--"

Hinata didn't need her Byakugan to see whom Sakura was really talking about. "Sasuke, huh?"

"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura looked at Hinata, surprised.

"About the brick smashings. You were talking about Sasuke..." Hinata trailed off, thinking she might have re-opened up a closed wound with Sakura. "I'm sorry, Sakura. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything..."

"No, no, it's okay. You should feel free talk to me about stuff like this..." Sakura reassured. "You just threw me off a little, that's all-- what's this?"

Lifting a black shirt from Naruto's clothes pile on the floor, Sakura's had uncovered what looked to be a orange book with the name 'Hatake Kakashi' labeled in dark blue letters on the spine of the book.

"Hinata, come here quick! You have to see what I found!"

"What did you find?" She knelt next to Sakura and read the title out loud. "_Come Come Paradise?" _she looked at Sakura. "You're the bookworm, have you read this before?"

"I would _never_," Sakura spluttered, looking very much offended. "_ever_ read these kind of books..."

"What kind of book is it anyway?" Hinata took the book from Sakura, and filliped through it, her eyes widening as she went. "Oh, so it's _that _kind of book."

"Hinata!" Sakura yelped, shocked that Hinata was reading the book and even more shocking, she was _still _reading it. "Put that down! These kind of books are disgusting and incredibly degrading to woman," Sakura made a failed grab for the book. "Give me that!"

Hinata rolled deftly out of the way. "Prude," she said, smirking then sticking her tongue at Sakura. "Aren't you just the least bit curious?"

For some reason, Sakura's face turned a shade of pink. "Of course not!" Sakura denied, "It is disgusting and--"

"-- And degrading to woman." Hinata interrupted, finishing for Sakura. "I heard you, I heard you. But are you sure you don't want to sneak a peak?"

"I'm sure!" Sakura said firmly.

"Really?" Hinata asked. "Cause you're kind of missing out. Whomever drew this has quite an imagination..." Hinata turned the book sideways, "I'm pretty sure some of these, um, positions, aren't humanly possible-- ever for nins like us."

The truth was, Sakura was curious and Hinata only had to prod Sakura a few more times before she finally broke.

Sakura and Hinata, both having completely forgotten to clean, were kneeling on the floor taking turns flipping through.

Both girls gasped and shaded red as they flipped to a particular phallic image stretched over both left and right pages.

"Is that a--"

"Yes, I think it is." Sakura said.

"Are they all that--"

"I don't think so. It varies from guy to guy."

"Because this one's pretty freaking--"

"You're telling me."

**

Naruto wrapped a towel around his waist and was greeted with the girls' laughter as he stepped out of the bathroom. He ran to his room and dressed into a pair of dull orange shorts and a large, clean black shirt.

He walked into the living room and saw both girls kneeling on the floor, keenly interested in something.__

"What are you two doing?"

 "N-Naruto!" Hinata exclaimed, her face a deep scarlet. She hid the book behind her back. "Out of the shower already? That was rather quick--"

"I was in there for an hour," Naruto said, looking at each girl suspiciously; Hinata was fidgeting a little too much and Sakura face was as pink as her hair. "Okay, 'fess up. What did you two do?" His eyes focused on Hinata. "And what exactly are you hiding behind your back?"

"N-Nothing!" Hinata said, "See?" Hinata held out her now empty hands after slipping the book to Sakura. "I'm not hiding anything."

With a sense of self-preservation, Sakura slipped the book into her side pocket and then held out her hands just like Hinata had. "See, Naruto? Nothing."

"I could have sworn you two were looking at _something_--_"_

"We weren't looking at anything," Sakura said, slightly defensive.

"Then what were you two giggling about?"

"If you must know, me and Hinata were talking."

"And what exactly were you talking about?"

"Ha, wouldn't you like to know."

"I would!"

"Well, too bad! Cause I'm not going to tell you!"

Hinata jumped into the conversation. "We were talking about underwear," she said with a smile.

"_What?"_  Both Naruto and Sakura exclaimed.

"Sakura told me Sasuke wears heart shaped boxer shorts, and then she asked me if I knew what Kiba and Shino wore. I told her I didn't know what Kiba in particular wears, but then I said I knew for a fact that Shino doesn't wear anything at all: you know, all natural. And that was pretty much the entire conversation."

Sakura was laughing, but Naruto looked absolutely disgusted.

"Shino goes all natural? That's just wrong..." He said.

"Could be worse," Sakura said pleasantly. "She could have said Kiba wears bright pink thongs."

Naruto shuddered. "I think I'm scarred for life."

Hinata and Sakura shared a good laugh at Naruto's show of exaggerated misery, until Sakura noticed the clock on the far wall.

"Wow, It's already almost two. We should hurry if we still want to catch a lunch." Sakura said. "Hinata, would you mind going ahead and waking your team and Ino's?"

"Sure. Everyone's probably up already, so it won't be a problem. But where are we going to eat?" she asked, "The same place as last time?"

"Yeah, I think the same, since it is the only place we all could agree on in the first place." 

"Oh, I assume you're going to pick up Sasuke?"

"Yeah," Naruto answered, "we'll get him. But he's probably training right now, so it might take us a bit to find him." He turned to Sakura. "We really should get started."

Hinata left and the two members of team 7 were about to leave as well, until Sakura, claiming to have a parched throat, decided to go back to the kitchen and pour herself a glass of water.

While Sakura was off in the kitchen, Naruto finally noticed the package on his table where he had tossed his keys the night before.

"Hmmm, what's this?" It was an ordinary present box with a pink ribbon wrapped around it. After untying the ribbon, Naruto looked inside and found what looked to be a pinkish white camellia flower on top of a tin of chocolates. But there was no letter or anything.

He thought briefly on who might have given him the chocolates and a flower, but forgot, opting instead to open the tin and start eating. He popped in a light brown minibar into his mouth: caramel.

Sakura had come back while Naruto was in mid-chew. "What are you eating, Naruto?"

He tried to say chocolates, but his mouth was too full for anything coherent to come out.

She looked at him uncertainly, "Are they good?"

He nodded very enthusiastically.

"Really?" She grinned, amused.

He swallowed visibly, his mouth clear enough to talk. "So far, yeah," he said. "Haven't run into any bad ones either..."

Naruto popped another chocolate into his mouth. It was a familiar flavor and he couldn't quite place it. He swallowed the chocolate and handed a similar piece to Sakura.

"Sakura-chan, taste this real quick. Can you tell me the flavor?"

Sakura bit into the chocolate, only taking her a second to identity it. "Oh that's easy, this one is coconut."

"_Co-coconut?"_

"What's wrong with coconut? It's a perfectly good flavor; one of my favorites."

"Sakura-chan, It's just that, I'm a little allergic to coconut..."

And Sakura caught him in her arms as he collapsed.

**Tbc**

_So, how'd you like it? Good, bad, too lewd, not lewd enough? Got any constructive criticisms, feel free to leave a review or send me an email. Oh and difference between a flame and a constructive criticism is that flames don't give a reason. Oh and my 2 cents about the yaoi war, I strongly believe in free speech and if people decide to flame that's their right just as much as it is someone's right to write a shota/yaoi/lemony, yaoi fic._


	2. The Drinking of Spoiled Milk

**An Admirer's Gifts**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto. Slight spoilers here and there, more lewd humor, and some OCCness (but I try to explain the OOCness)

**Quick Facts: **Characters are older, around 15-16 in this fic.

**Chapter 2:** The Drinking of Spoiled Milk

"Naruto? Can you hear me?"

When Naruto collapsed after eating the chocolate, Sakura had caught him in her arms before he could hit the floor. She had laid his limp body on the wood and pillowed his head on her lap.

Five minutes passed, and Naruto's face became swollen and red: having an allergic reaction almost as if he had washed every nook and cranny of his face with poison oak instead of soap. Despite the situation, a tiny part of Sakura idly wondered if his face was any indication of his entire body...

"Can you hear me?" Sakura repeated. A dull sense of anxiousness seemed to lodge itself like a steel anchor in her stomach. "Naruto, please say something-- _anything_, " she begged, watching his chest move up and down, his breathing uneven and ragged. "Just give me a sign you're okay..."__

Sakura's plea seemed to have reached Naruto. She heard him make a low inarticulate noise and watched as his ragged breathing leveled out and steadied. A cool wave of relief washed through her. "Do you want me to fetch a doctor?" she asked, feeling his forehead with the palm of her hand "I could get Tsunade-sama if you like. No better doctor than her..." 

"No need, I'm starting to feel better..." he muttered, his eyes still closed. "Besides, she's probably too busy with Hokage business, anyway."

"Never too busy for you," she said softly. "You know, Tsunade-sama is actually quite fond of you--"

"Fond of me?" Naruto said, not quite believing. He laughed lightly, "That's why she is always insulting me and making fun of me..."

"She's just teasing, Naruto." Sakura said, not reproachful, but kindly. "Ever hear of the saying 'you make fun of the ones you love'?"

"That's a stupid saying. Besides what are you trying to say?" he said with a smile. "She's secretly in love with me and wants to bed me?"

"Don't flatter yourself," Sakura snapped, yet felt her own grin grow up to her ears. He was all right, and even if his face didn't show that, his voice was getting stronger and Naruto still acted like... well, Naruto. "You know what I'm trying to say. Tsunade-sama probably does care about you, you know, but in a big sister kind of way. And I know you care about her too..." Sakura thumbed the necklace around his neck. "After all, she did give you this necklace. And I've never once seen you take it off--"

"First of all, she didn't _give _this to me-- I had won it fair and square." He said. "Shows her for betting against me, the dumb hag--"

"Naruto..." she said reproachfully.

"But," He relented slighty. "I guess you can say I care about her... a little," he added. "Well, at any rate, I care about her just as much as she cares about me-- which isn't much to begin with in the first place."

"I knew it," she said, ruffling his hair playfully. "You do care for her." 

Naruto seemed a little embarrassed. "Did you not hear anything I just said?  Specifically, the part about how I care for her as much as she cares for me?"

"And didn't you hear me say," she said tenderly, enunciating each word slowly, "how much she does care about you in the first place? In fact, I can safely go out on a limb and say she loves you and you love her."

Naruto sighed, giving up on arguing with Sakura.

Feeling her relaxing fingers gently messaging his scalp, Naruto closed his eyes. A comfortable silence followed, neither speaking; just enjoying the presence of the other.

"Um, Naruto?" 

He opened his eyes and saw Sakura looking down at him with a solemn, serious expression. "Yeah, Sakura-chan?" he said softly.

"You scared me," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "You really, really scared me. You just... you just fell, and I barely caught you. Then your face practically exploded and your breathing became so shallow... I thought about going for help, but I knew I couldn't just leave you here... If you were out for one more second, I was going to scream for somebody to find us..." Sakura sighed at her inarticulateness. "I guess I'm just trying to say is, I'm so glad you're okay."

"Sakura-chan..." Naruto trailed off, not knowing how to respond. "I-- wait a second," his brow furrowed. "Did you just say my face exploded?"

Sakura's face lost her somber expression, and instead, formed up in an amused grin. "_Practically _exploded. There's a big difference."

"But still, any sentence that has the words _'exploded'_ and _'your face'_ can't be good, can it?" One of his hands reached up to touch his face, but was stopped by Sakura.

"Don't," she said. "You'll only make it worse by touching it."

"Is it that bad?" said Naruto, sounding horribly pained.

"Well," she smirked. "I did use the word _'exploded'_, remember?"

He looked at her with pleading eyes. "Give it to me straight, Sakura-chan. How do I look?"

"The honest truth, Naruto?"

"Yes, the straight, god honest truth."

Sakura shrugged her shoulders. "Okay, your head looks like a giant red pimple." She said simply.

"_A_ _pimple?_" Naruto repeated."A pimple as in those big, nasty things that pops up on faces the second they turned fourteen and hit puberty? That kind of pimple?"

"I don't know of any other kind of pimple..."

"Of all the red things to compare it to; cherries, tomatoes... did you really have to use pimples?"

"Well, you did ask for honesty--"

"I asked you to be honest, not brutal! And what you said was unbelievably brutal!"

Sakura laughed, but didn't banter back. "I'm just teasing," she said, helping pull him to his feet. "Up you go, Naruto. C'mon, I'll help you to the bathroom so you can see how bad it is for yourself."

Naruto shook his head. "That's okay, Sakura-chan" he said. "But I don't think I need any help. Actually... I feel so much better that I can honestly say I've completely recovered already-- well, minus the exploded face, of course."

Sakura looked at him with concern. "You sure?"

"Completely," he answered, then smiled. "Not to mention, I need to use the bathroom-- you know a number two. And between the corn I had for lunch yesterday and the coconut chocolates today; it's not going to be pretty..."

 "That's just disgusting, Naruto." She said, effecting a revolted expression. "I'd hit you for that incredibly traumatizing image, but I'll let it slide since you're more-or-less injured." She pushed him lightly toward the bathroom. "Now go before you accidentally fart or god forbid something worse."

**

Sakura stood waiting on the other side of Naruto's bathroom door just in case he needed any help of sometimes. But when she started to hear the most disgusting _wet_ sounds, and smell a stench that could never be possibly described by words alone, she left the wall and decided if he needed any help, he was on his own. 

While Naruto was in the bathroom, Sakura helped herself to the contents of his fridge, grabbing what seemed like a half-full milk cartoon. She had it pressed to her lips and ready to drink, when her eyes caught the expiration date-- two weeks expired.

She was about to toss it in the trash, but stopped when she heard a knock. She left the milk carton on the table and walked to the door.

"Who is it?"

"Sakura?" said a light and unnaturally giddy voice. "Is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me..." Sakura trailed off, not knowing who was on the other side. The voice (a guy's for sure) was familiar, but couldn't be placed. "By the way, who's this?"

"What do you mean '_who is this?'_!It's me, Sasuke!"

Sakura debated whatever or not to open the door. Sasuke acted cool and detached: never excited, much less giddy. He was acting, well... he was acting just like a regular teenager. 

"Well? What are you waiting for?" he called. "Let me in!"

She opened the door and was immediately swept up by Sasuke's long arms in a hug. Holding Sakura by her slim waist, he lifted her into the air, and spun her in place. After he set her back down, they didn't part. His hands were still on her hips and her hands were still on his shoulders. 

"Sasuke-kun?" she asked breathlessly, very much caught off guard by his hug. But any confusion over his blatant show of affection was washed away by the pure look of jubilation on his face. "You seem happy today, Sasuke-kun." She observed.

"I am happy, and why shouldn't I be?" he said. "Today is a great day!"

"Allright, what did you do with Sasuke-kun?" she said jokingly. "You can't be him because the real Sasuke-kun wouldn't be here right now and doing this. He should be out training at who knows where right now."

"Well, I was training. But, I ran into Hinata and she told me about our lunch plans." He explained. "And she sent me to catch you two before you left looking for me, but forget about that--" An ear-to-ear smile stretched over his face, "just look at my eyes!"

 She did, watching as his eyes turned into the sharingan. "Umm, I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun. But what exactly am I looking at again?"

"My eyes-- well, more specifically, my sharingan."

"Your sharingan is impressive and all, but I have seen it before, you know." She laughed slightly. "Considering the fact we've been teammates for the past _four years_, and not to mention you've practically used the sharingan for every mission--"

"Sakura," he interrupted firmly, "will you just _look_..."

"I am looking,"

"Well, look _harder..."_

She did look harder; red eyes, black swirly pupils, same old sharingan, wait...  she gasped. "Sasuke-kun, your eyes!"

He smirked down at her. "Finally noticed it, did you?"

"But, when did this happen?" she stared at his sharingan, amazed. "And how did it happen?" Where previously he had a total of four sharingan pupils, both eyes now had a full compliment of three: six total-- a sign of mastery, he had once told her. "Do you feel any different, Sasuke-kun?"

"_Different?_" he said. "Different doesn't come close to describing how I'm feeling right now. I just... God, Sakura, it feels like I'm just _on_, almost as if someone flipped on a light switch in my head. Everything's suddenly everything is clearer, sharper, more detailed. It was never like this before. But with _this_ sharingan, I notice things-- things I used to miss before. It's absolutely incredible..."

"So--" Her throat seemed to close up, as she realized with a start that Sasuke's thumbs were caressing her waist. She looked down to hide her blush. "Umm, how'd it happen?"

Sakura saw Sasuke opened his mouth to reply, but the words never came. Naruto's voice carried into her ears almost as if he standing in room, and yelling directly into her ear.

Naruto walked back into the room. "Holy crap, you're right Sakura-chan! I do look--" He glanced up, his gaze looking between the two then finally settling on Sasuke. "Oh, hey there, Sasuke."

Sakura flushed pink and jumped out of Sasuke's grasp. "So, umm, is the bathroom free now, Naruto?"

"Yep," he said, sending a backward glance to the bathroom. "But I wouldn't go in there if I were you. The window is kind of stuck and I suggest you give the air needs some time to, um, circulate," He shrugged. "But if you're really that desperate to go, you could hold your breath and light a match. Either way works-- Sasuke, stop gaping at my face!"

"Just what--" Sasuke (sharingan now gone) said, pointing at the bulging red spots on Naruto's face. "--the hell happened to you?"

Naruto looked down, muttering an incoherent answer under his breath.

"What'd you say happened?" Sasuke asked.

"He had an allergic reaction," Sakura said amiably.

"That's an allergic reaction?" he said, pointing an incredulous finger at Naruto but looking at Sakura. "He looks as if he was beaten very very badly with a stick of-- exactly what is he allergic of again?"

"Coconuts, actually."

"Coconuts, right." Sasuke did a double take. "_Coconuts_? Of all things, he's allergic to coconuts?"

Sakura nodded. "Yep, coconuts."

"Hey!" Naruto yelled. "A lot of people are allergic to coconuts! It's a perfectly normal allergy." 

"Exactly how allergic is he?" Sasuke asked Sakura, ignoring Naruto.

"Very, very allergic it seems. I think he only ate a few pieces of coconut chocolate--"

"There is no way _that_ face couldn't have been caused by only a few pieces of coconut, even if he did eat it. I'm a little allergic to lemons myself and I would have to ingest a bag of them to end up like him."

"You're allergic to lemons, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura said curiously. "I never knew that..."

"Well, there are a lot of things about me you don't know."

"Like the fact that you wear heart shaped boxer shorts?" she thought aloud.

Sasuke sneezed. "I'm sorry, did you say something? I didn't hear."

"Nothing!" she yelped. "I didn't say anything!"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at her; then turned back to Naruto. He was wearing a large black-scooped shirt that showed the upper parts of the chest located right below the neck. "Hey, Naruto," Sasuke pointed below Naruto's neck, "What the hell happened there?"

"The same thing we've been talking about for the past few minutes, idiot. You know, my allergies?"

"Don't call me an idiot, dumbass." Sasuke snapped back. "Anyway, exactly how far_ down_ does your-- you know... your allergy rashes go?"

Naruto gaped. "Are you actually asking what I think you're asking?"

"You know, I'm kind of curious myself." Sakura joined in, her eyes drifting down to the area in question. "So... does it? And if it does... is it painful?"

"Yeah, share with us," Sasuke prodded. "Tell us what's going on downstairs. If it's as far down as I think it is, does it ten times as itchy now?"

"Like I'd ever tell either of you anything! Especially you, Sasuke! You're the last person I'd talk to about something like this--"

"C'mon, Naruto." Sakura said. "The three of us have been on the same team for awhile now, two years and counting--"

"Three years, actually," corrected Sasuke.

"Three years? Really? Anyways, we've known each other for a long time now and I feel there really shouldn't be secrets between us..."

"I whole heartedly agree with Sakura."

"No! And for the second, third, fourth and every other time, NO!" Naruto eyes narrowed at the pair. "Now, I'm going to change and when I come back out, I except this entire topic of conversation to be _buried_, got it?" Naruto didn't wait for an answer. He immediately marched into his room and promptly locked the door behind him.

"As much fun as it is to mess with Naruto," Sakura said, smiling at Sasuke. "I think I'm going ahead. Everyone's probably wondering where we are." She waved goodbye to Sasuke, yelled a goodbye to Naruto, and then walked out the door.

Sasuke, meanwhile, walked around the apartment looking around.

"Hey, Naruto!" He shouted. "Almost done?"

"Give me a second!" Naruto yelled back.

"Well hurry up, I'm getting hungry!"

"Get a snack from the fridge and shut up then!"

"Hmm, not a bad idea..." Although he was very much famished, Sasuke decided to save his appetite for wherever place everyone was eating today, compromising to get a drink instead...

"Perfect," he said, drinking from the milk carton, completely overlooking the expiration date on the other side. 

**tbc**

_Ugh, I am so unhappy with this chapter... I tried my hands at a little romance, but I think I royally fudged it up, and with it the humor sections as well.  Anyways, I think I've set everything up properly for the following chapters. And I assure you the next few chapters are much much more humor oriented. What to look forward to? *The guys from team 7, 8, and 10 go on a super secret investigation. *Shino's bugs in mating season *Sasuke coming out of a closet (sorry, not that closet) *Another gift odd gift from an admirer._

**Chibi-Puchiko** **-** I will update this fic, trust me one that. **Jade tiger –** yep, yep he is most definitely in trouble. **Morien Alexander – **If you think the coconut was bad, that's not nothing yet. **Insomnia productions – **Glad you enjoyed it. **Caer – **You liked my writing style? Yay! **Sadistic Demon – **Depnends on your definition of okay, :) **Naruke – **This is far from over, not even close. **Dameus – **Wow, your review actually made me blush. Thank you so much, I hope this chappie doesn't disappoint. **:D – **Thanks for reviewing, :D **Bishiehuggler **– the lewdness in this chappie is kinda light, but I so make up for it in the next one, :p


	3. Toilets, Wedgies, and Smelly Armpits, oh...

**An Admirer's Gifts**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto. Slight spoilers here and there, more lewd humor, and some OOCness (but I try to explain the OOCness)

**Quick Facts: **Characters are older, around 15-16 in this fic. 

**Chapter 3:** Toliets, Wedgies, and Smelly Armpits, oh my!

Naruto narrowed his eyes at Sasuke, who was in the process of gulping down the last of the milk. "If you're done chugging down what's left of my milk, can we go now?" said Naruto, impatiently. "I don't want the others to start eating without me."

"Don't hold your breath," said Sasuke, throwing the now empty milk carton into the trash. "Choji's probably on his fourth or fifth serving of food already. And you know him, nothing short of-- well... to be honest, I really haven't the slightest idea of what would stop him from eating. But I'm sure as hell he wouldn't hold his appetite for you."

"Will you just shut up and move already," said Naruto, exasperated. He was already outside the front door, tapping his foot, waiting. "If you weren't busy being such a long-winded blowhard, we could've been out the door and half way there by now. Oh, and clean your upper lip, will you? You have the nastiest looking milk moustache I've ever seen." Naruto purposefully failed to mention the milk seemed to have a slight yellow tint... a _spoiled _yellow tint.

Sasuke brushed at his upper lip vainly. "Is it all off? Is it?"

"Um," Naruto said, pretending to give Sasuke's face the once over. "Yeah, you got it. It's all off."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure."

"Well, you don't look sure," said Sasuke, skeptically.

"I _am_ sure." Naruto said firmly, looking a bit annoyed. "Now, can you please hurry along? I'm starving over here!"

"Yeah, yeah, don't get your panties in a--" Sasuke cut off abruptly, keeling over and clutching at his stomach as if a kunai was ripping through his insides.

Naruto knelt by Sasuke's side. "Sasuke?" he said, a note of concern in his voice. "Are you allright?" 

Sasuke scowled. "Of course I'm not allright, idiot!" he snapped. "Do I look allright?"

"Well, to tell you the truth, you look kind of constipated--"

"_What? _What do you mean, _'constipated'_?"

Naruto smiled, but spoke in a matter-of-fact voice. "Squatting on the floor. Clutching your stomach. Face screwed up as if you were forcing a very spiky pineapple down your butt--"

"You know what, Naruto?" Sasuke interrupted, his face pained, but his voice measured and even. "Right now, I'm feeling the exact opposite of what it feels like to be constipated. And to let you know, it's not a very pleasant feeling. Now if you don't want to clean up what is sure to be a very nasty mess... _shut the hell up_ and help me to the damn bathroom!"

"Well, since you asked so nicely..." Naruto said dryly, throwing his arm over Sasuke's shoulder. Holding him upright as would a crutch, Naruto half-carried Sasuke to the bathroom, slowly stopping as they came to the door. Sasuke didn't let go. "Well?" Naruto said. "There's the bathroom. Help yourself."

Sasuke sent a sideways glance toward Naruto. "Aren't you going to open the door for me?"

"What do I look like, your butler? Open your own damn door."

"C'mon, Naruto. Help a friend in need--"

"'_Help a friend in need'_, hmph..." Naruto scoffed, then said under his breath, "What do I have to do next, wipe your ass for you?"

Despite Naruto's harsh words, he politely opened the door for Sasuke. But before Sasuke could say proper thanks, Naruto promptly threw him inside, slamming the door in his wake.

"Oh, and by the way Sasuke!" Naruto called, his voice suddenly knowingly gleeful as if he had just pulled the greatest prank. "I don't really remember, but when I used the bathroom earlier, I could've sworn I forgot to flush--"

"My god!" Sasuke must have lifted the toilet cover (He noted Naruto had the decency to at least close the lid in the first place). "Did _this_ actually come out of you?"

"Yep." Naruto answered. "And you wouldn't believe what a relief it was when it finally came out. I felt ten pounds lighter..."

"Tell me," Sasuke's voice had a nasal sound; Naruto could imagine Sasuke pinching his nose shut to avoid the stench. "Just what the hell did you eat in the first place? " Sasuke said.

"You know what? I don't seem to recall at the moment," Naruto said. "But, I do happen to remember it didn't go down very well in the first place; felt like I was chewing rubber flavored asphalt. Why'd you ask anyway? Is it that bad?"

"Yes, it's that bad! Worse, even. It looks like-- like-- words can't describe it. Imagine a rotting cat carcass. Then imagine a wet, rotting cat carcass that's been picked at by crows and rats for two whole days. And my god, is that a patch of green?" Sasuke paused as if to confirm the color. "Oh dear god, it is. It's green. How the hell did you get part of it to turn to green?"

"How should I know why there's a green patch? And it's not like I have the power to change its color. The way you're talking, you'd swear I could do it whenever I damn well please. _'You know, I'm rather bored of the color brown. I think I'll mix it up, maybe add a green patch here and there.'_ Have you no idea how stupid that sounds? And what are you doing still talking, weren't you begging me to use the bathroom earlier?"

"But it's _green!_ It's not supposed to be that color. It's disgusting... It's unnatural-- and you can't honestly expect me to use a toilet like this, do you?"

"Seeing as how this is my only toilet... yes, I do expect you to use it."

"But it's green, Naruto. Green! It's not even the nice looking green either; like the green of trees or the green of the grass. This green is like that nasty pond-scum green..." 

"And will you stop looking at it!" The fact that Sasuke was paying so much attention to it in the first place, especially to the pond-scum green patch, was more than a little disconcerting to Naruto. "If it's bothering you so much, just flush it! Oh, and if you didn't know, you flush it by pushing the little silver knob on your right side--"

"I know how to flush!" Sasuke said indignantly.

"Well then, stop complaining and do it! Unless you enjoy the sight of-- what'd you call it again? Oh yeah, 'a rotting cat carcass with green patches'... "

"Don't forget the two days of being picked at by the rats and crows."

"Fine, a 'rotting cat carcass with green patches that's been picked at for two days'. Now, just flush it, will you?"

There was a rustling of running water and working pipes, only to be followed by a gurgling, stopped-up sound.

"Oh, that can't be good..." Naruto said to himself, and then knocked on the bathroom door to check. "Sasuke!" he called out. "What's happening in there? What's that sound?"

"That sound happens to be your toilet," Sasuke waited a brief moment before finally saying, "And I think it might be broken..."

"You broke my toilet?" Naruto exclaimed. "I can't believe you broke it! It's my only toilet!"

"I didn't break it!" Sasuke said defensively. "If you had flushed the toilet like you were supposed to in the first place, you would have broken it, not me!"

"Ha, so you do admit it! You did break my toilet!"

"You're not listening! Your toilet was going to break eventually. Anyone could've done it-- it was just an unlucky coincidence that I happened to be the one to do it." Sasuke said. "And that's besides the point. The toilet isn't really broken, so much as it's clogged," His voice then trailed off, unsure. "At least, I think it's clogged..."

Sasuke tried to push open the door and presumably get out, but Naruto put a stop to that: using his body to barricade the door.

"What the hell?" Sasuke said, surprised. "Hey Naruto, what's wrong with your door? I can't get out."

"Nothing's wrong with the door."

"There has to be something wrong, idiot, or else I would be able to get it to open."

"There's nothing wrong with the door." Naruto affirmed calmly. "I'm just not letting you out-- that's all."

"And why the hell not?" Sasuke protested.

"Because you broke my toilet, that's why!"

"Do I have to keep spelling it out for you? It's clogged, not broken!"

"Well, unclog it then! Use your hands if you need to!"

"'_My hands!'?" _Sasuke said, horrified.

"Hands, feet-- it doesn't matter! Use anything because you're not leaving 'till it's fixed!"

"Naruto..." For the first time since getting thrown in the bathroom, Sasuke's voice reflected how desperately he needed to relieve himself. "I've been holding it for the past five minutes and if I don't get to another toilet soon..." Sasuke trailed off, then mumbled off-handedly, but loud enough to be heard, "preferably a clean and working one this time..."

"Well that's too bad." Naruto said. "You have one of two options. You can either unclog the toilet first and then relieve yourself, or you can relieve yourself first, then unclog the toilet. It's up to you, but like I said before, you're not leaving the bathroom until my toilet's fixed."

_A little afterward..._

Naruto grabbed his portable radio (Christmas gift from Iruka) and placed the matching headphones (Birthday gift from Iruka) over his head, drowning out Sasuke's complaints about the dirty clogged toilet and irregular bowel movements with the musical sounds of strumming guitars and beating drums. But on the other hand, it was kind of amusing to hear Sasuke complain that someone of his stature was above having to use a plunger to unclog toilets.

Despite the headphones, Sasuke's voice carried over like the impact of a falling tree in an empty forest: his voice ear-splitting loud, but somehow incoherent. Naruto tried to block out the voice, but Sasuke became louder and infinitely more annoying. Naruto lowered his headphones in time to hear...

"God damnit, Naruto-- get me some toilet paper!" Sasuke yelled, his voice sounding incredibly irritated. It seemed Sasuke was trying to get Naruto's attention for the good part of ten minutes. "If you don't get me some toilet paper soon, I swear I'm going to use every square inch of your towel as my personal..."

"You know, if you bothered to look, there's some toilet paper underneath the sink, idiot."

Sasuke didn't acknowledge finding any toilet paper, but Naruto noticed with mild satisfaction that Sasuke didn't deny finding any either.

Several minutes later, Naruto hesitantly opened the bathroom door; only releasing Sasuke after he had flushed the toilet several times and shown it was fixed.

"Wow," Naruto said, incredibly impressed as he gave the toilet another cursory flush. "Screw being a ninja, Sasuke. You clearly have a knack for fixing toilets; ever consider janitorial work? I hear it's a very rewarding profession--"

"Naruto, you..." Sasuke suddenly swung out his right arm, aiming for the side of Naruto's head. Naruto ducked the blow and sprinted for the front door.

"Too slow, Sasuke!" Naruto yelled over his shoulder, not bothering to look back. He knew Sasuke was chasing after him. He could his hear the sound footsteps trailing dangerously close behind.

Naruto reached the front door, yanked it open, and ran out.

Sasuke, although looking like a large and very enraged duck, had the sense of mind to pull the door shut as he ran past.

Both boys, however, carelessly forgetting to do one very important thing; to lock the front door... 

**

Team 8, 10, and Sakura stood outside the Kifune Diner, patiently waiting for the rest of Team 7 to arrive. Sakura assured everyone that Naruto and Sasuke would be along in a minute, but having said 'they would be along in a minute' at least five times in the past twenty minutes, everyone's patience was wearing extremely thin. Choji, Shikamaru, and Shino looked especially mutinous.

Sakura looked at everyone apologetically. "Sorry, everyone. I know you're hungry-- yes Choji, I know you skipped breakfast, brunch, lunch and your precious cookie time for this. But if you could just be patient for one more minute, I know Sasuke-kun and Naruto will be here shortly..."

Much to her annoyance, Sakura was immediately interrupted by complaints: Choji yelling how he was hypoglycemic and would collapse without food - Shino grumbling about missing his favorite soaps and forgetting to set his VCR – Shikamaru on how he was lacking his much needed beauty sleep – Ino whining about not having time to shower properly (Shikamaru said she smelled like a wet dog) – Kiba accusing Choji of trying to take a bite out of Akamaru - but the only person who wasn't complaining seemed to be Hinata...

Sakura glanced around; noticing Hinata was nowhere to be seen. Sometime between arriving at the diner and the present, Hinata must have slipped away. Despite being much more out-spoken than before, Sakura thought Hinata still blended into the background much too well. 

Sakura curiously pondered when, where, and why Hinata might have disappeared. How long ago did she leave? Where did she go? Did she have an errand? And if she had an errand, what kind of errand was it?

While Sakura was preoccupied by Hinata's mysterious errand, a mini-war of sorts had erupted between the other present genin: Ino trying to slap Shikamaru for indirectly calling her a dog - Kiba and Shino threatening to give Choji a pink belly and a swirly if he so much as looked at Akamaru funny...

Everyone was so occupied in arguments; they stopped paying attention to Sakura.

And Sakura was so deep in thought; she failed to notice a person sneak up behind her.

"Boo!"

Sakura jumped around in surprise. "Hinata!" she gasped. "Damn it, don't do that! Sneaking up on people... you scared the crap out of me!"

For some odd reason, Hinata looked to be in very high spirits. Did something good happen to her while she was away?

"Well, I had to get your attention some way or another," Hinata said, her voice light. "And seeing as how you probably wouldn't have appreciated me stuffing dirt clods down your shirt--"

Sakura was indignant. "I would most certainly not."

"I knew you'd say that-- so instead, I decided a regular sneak-up-scare would be best. Enough to be funny, but not enough for you to be too angry at me--" Hinata stopped, noticing an annoyed glint in Sakura's eyes. "Um, at least I hope not. "

Sakura did feel mildly irritated and just a little bit angry. She was already on the end of her rope from keeping everyone in line and Hinata's "fun" way of catching her attention had very nearly pushed her over the edge. 

Sakura fought to keep the edge out of her voice. "But you couldn't have grabbed my attention in a milder, and perhaps, normal way? Usually when people want my attention, they call my name, or say hello..."

"I _could've_ done that," Hinata said hypothetically. "But scaring you is so much more fun. I just couldn't resist."

Sakura rolled her eyes humorlessly. Hinata laughed in response, her own eyes shining playfully.

"And besides," she pointed out, "you had this really far-off expression on your face. I doubt a regular "Hello, Sakura" would've grabbed your attention. In fact, you looked so distracted, I'd briefly entertained the thought of giving you a wedgie, and believe you me, you wouldn't want one. I give the meanest wedgies-- just ask Kiba... he knows."

Several amusing, yet disturbing images played through Sakura's mind. A mischievous-faced Hinata tip toeing behind Kiba – An unsuspecting Kiba picking his nose while wearing a very snug pink thong – A maniacally laughing Hinata as she yanked the thong's waistband high above Kiba's shoulders – And a tear faced Kiba squirming on the ground.

Sakura, her foul mood broken, looked very pained trying to keep herself from breaking into pales of laughter. Hinata, on the other hand, looked inordinately pleased with herself for being able to coax a laugh out of Sakura.

Several moments passed, and although still red-faced from laughing (or, from restraining a laugh) Sakura regained enough composure to speak semi-coherently. 

"You giving Kiba wedgies, that's really quite a funny image..." said Sakura, her breathing still slightly labored. "But it's a good thing for Kiba that you're only joking--"

"Joking?" An impish smile spread over Hinata's features. "Who saids I'm joking?"

"You are joking, aren't you?" Sakura looked for confirmation in Hinata eyes, but found none. "You have to be joking," she said. "I mean-- you wouldn't really give Kiba a wedgie, would you?" 

"Actually, I would--" Hinata's eyebrows seemed to quirk upward ever so slightly. "Ever hear of a front side wedgie?"

Sakura never heard of it. But her mind worked quickly; if a regular wedgie pulled the underwear upward from the backside, then a front-side wedgie would pull the underwear up the...

Sakura gasped. "Hinata! How could you do that?"

"Easy. I grab the front waistband and pull up very very hard." Hinata said, deliberately obtuse. "Rather simple, really. And you should've heard Kiba cry-- oh you don't have to look at me like that, Sakura. I'm only joking. I swear! I would never do something like that to him. Well, maybe if he really pissed me off..."

While Sakura and Hinata were busy having a laugh at Kiba's expense, the arguments between the other genin had escalated well past the bickering stage.

Choji couldn't well enough let Shino's and Kiba's idle threats alone, deciding instead to call Kiba's bluff and bait him. Choji licked his lips and gave Akamaru a ravenous look "Akamaru is looking rather plump today. I hear roasted dog dipped in oyster sauce is a delicacy in Water Country..."

Ino had carelessly thumped Shikamaru on the thigh; the very same spot he had a very tender bluish black bruise from the scrimmages the day before. His tongue loosened by the pain, he unthinkingly responded by calling Ino a violent bitch...

For the most part, the fights between the other five escaped the attention of both Sakura and Hinata.

"Hinata, can you do me a favor?" Sakura waited for Hinata to nod, then continued. "Um, I need to run a quick errand from mom. She wants me to pick something up at Ino's store. You know-- give my name, pick it up-- that sort of thing. I have no idea what it is though. But my mom was really happy when Ms. Yamanaka called for the pick-up. She's supposedly been waiting ages for it to come in. So I was wondering if you could--"

"Umm, sure." Hinata shrugged to herself. "No problem. All I have to do is give your name, right? Just like yesterday?"

"What? Oh," Sakura shook her head. "That's sweet of you, Hinata. Really. But the errand wasn't the favor. I was actually wondering if you could keep everyone in line until I get back. You know, make sure they don't do anything stupid or start eating until all of us are here. Besides you pretty much did my errand for me yesterday. I don't want to impose--"

At Sakura's mention, both girls turned their attention to the others, who's arguments had escalated well past the previous stage and was now smack dab in the middle of "Come here, I want to hit you between the legs with a 100-ton mallet" stage.

Shikamaru was frantically dodging Ino; she had brandished her kunai intently with one hand and was trying to catch a fist full of his hair with the other-- seems Ino firmly believed Shikamaru was due for a much needed change in hairstyle. 

Kiba was chasing after Choji; who was much too occupied trying to take a bite out of Akamaru to pay any heed to the fat insults and rude finger gestures being thrown his way.

Both girls could hear little snippets of the argument between Choji and Kiba, dialogue ranging from-- "You fat bastard!" insults from Kiba to "Doggie, doggie. Come here doggie. I promise I won't hurt you." from Choji.

Shino, oddly enough, was hanging upside down on a nearby tree limb with his hands cris-crossed in an X pattern, seemingly napping.

Hinata and Sakura quickly turned to each other, both wearing weary expressions. Neither girl wanted to be in charge of _that._ But Hinata was first to speak.

"Oh, you're not imposing at all." Hinata said quickly.

"But--"

"But nothing. You just relax here. And I'll take care of your errand for you. I'd be happy to." 

Before Sakura could protest any further, Hinata was already down the road heading toward Ino's shop.

Despite the fact that Hinata just stuck her with the harder of the two jobs, she couldn't help but smile as she watched Hinata's retreating form. The girl was definitely coming into her own-- much more outspoken, comfortable with herself, finally able to meet Naruto eye-to-eye without blushing...

To casual observers, the abrupt changes in Hinata seemed to have come from out of the blue, but not to Sakura.

During the preliminary matches of the their first chunnin exam (what a lifetime ago it seemed), Sakura couldn't help but see a little of herself inside Hinata. Both desperately trying to catch up with their teammates, both trying to stand on their own two feet...  and at the time, both struggling to get the attention of the one they most admired. They had so much in common, they were so alike... it was a wonder why they were never more than acquaintances. But that soon changed afterward...

Unknowingly mimicking Ino's act of kindness to herself many years ago, Sakura made the first overture of friendship toward Hinata. And over time, Sakura helped Hinata slowly crack open the timid shell she had placed around herself-- developing a sense of humor and personality that was entirely her own. 

But the smile on Sakura's face fell as turned her attention back on the other genin.

Kiba and Choji were still running and acting like little four year olds.

Shikamaru looked as if his hair had been attacked by a rabid mini lawnmower with very uneven cutting blades.

Ino was still psychotically intent on hacking off more of Shikamaru's hair

And Shino, still hanging upside down, was now swinging to and fro like a clock pendulum.

Sakura groaned to herself. The only way to get them all to behave now was to hit each of them with a very large shovel or feed them lots and lots of animal tranquilizers...

**

Naruto ran away from Sasuke like only a ninja could: running up the side of buildings, bouncing off outdoor ottomans, swinging on power lines, jumping from rooftop to rooftop, treetop to treetop.

But Sasuke was also quick to pursue-- very nearly breathing down Naruto's neck, and always a mere step behind from catching up.

Jumping from treetop to treetop, Naruto spared a glance behind him-- Sasuke was nowhere in sight. Thinking he had shaken off the pursuit, Naruto slowed down and leaned against a nearby tree to rest-- not noticing a pair of hands materialize out the thick trunk...

Sasuke leapt out the tree full tilt, tackling Naruto and sending them both sprawling onto the park ground. Amidst the dirt and wet blades of grass, the boys rolled around relentlessly, wrestling for a superior position in order to pin the other boy.

After minutes of fierce tussling, Sasuke finally gained the upper hand.

Sasuke had maneuvered behind Naruto, grabbed a hold of the other boy's right arm, twisted it, and then pressed it up against Naruto's back. 

"Ow! Damn it, Sasuke!" Naruto yelled, trying fruitlessly to wriggle out his position. He was planted facedown in the grass with Sasuke on top, who was gleefully twisting his right arm.

"Ow? This actually hurts?" To answer his own question, Sasuke pushed Naruto's arm a little further up.

"Ow!" Naruto yelped, "Yes, you sadistic bastard, it hurts!"

"Really?" Sasuke pushed up, and once again, Naruto yelped in pain. Sasuke shook his head disapprovingly. "I swear-- you have the pain threshold of a baby."

"It's not your weak grip that's bothering me," Naruto sent back. "It's my stupid allergies. My nerves are a little, um, raw..." Naruto trailed off, his eyes glazing over. "In fact," he said in a faint voice. "I still feel kind of funny... hey, why's the park spinning?"

Naruto body went limp and his eyes rolled shut. Sasuke released the arm hold and turned Naruto over to examine him. The chase and the wrestling was all in good fun, Sasuke never meant to actually push him to the point of injury-- odd...

As Sasuke eyes examined Naruto's face, he noticed something very peculiar. All of Naruto's glaring skin blemishes seemed to have magically disappeared, or healed very quickly-- Naruto's eyes rolled open suddenly, and before Sasuke knew what hit him, he found himself head-locked underneath Naruto's very sweaty, and very smelly armpit.

Sasuke desperately tried to pry Naruto's arm off his neck to no avail. "Damn it!" he cursed. "Let me go, Naruto!"

"Sorry." Naruto said, not sounding sorry at all. "Can't do that."

"Please!" Sasuke pleaded. "It smells like something died under here!" If Sasuke were to put name on the stench, he would have gone with a mixture of moldy blue cheese and week-worn old underwear. The smell was that bad. "This smell-- I'm going to die," he said, assured of his fate. "I'm really going to die."

"Don't be so dramatic, Sasuke." Naruto sighed. "Okay fine, I'll let you go--"

Naruto removed the headlock, and Sasuke jumped away, gasping for breath as if he had nearly drowned in the deepest depths of the ocean.

Sasuke took a few moments to gather his breath, and then looked at Naruto, annoyed. "Playing possum-- hmph, you cheater."

"Don't be a sore loser, Sasuke." Naruto said with a grin. "Just because you happened to fall for it in the first place, doesn't automatically make it cheating--"

"Hey, Naruto," Sasuke interrupted, "What did happen to your allergies anyway?" Sasuke gave Naruto's face another brief, but thorough look. "You were a walking-talking human pimple back at the apartment. But now... now you look-- well, to be frank, good as new. Almost as if you just magically healed..."

Naruto laughed uneasily, and averted his gaze, finding the treetop so fascinating all of a sudden. "Ha, I guess, I'm not as allergic to coconut as I thought I was."

Sasuke scrutinized him even further. "You know what, now that I think about it, you heal extraordinarily quick. Like that one time last week during our scrimmages. You were literally flattened by Choji's Meat Tank jutsu, but a minute later, you moving around as if a potato beaned you. And then--"

"Okay, okay, you got me..." Naruto said, holding his hands in surrender. "I'll tell you everything."

**tbc**

Many thanks to **noisetank13**, for listening to me bitch and moan about my constant writers block-- and thanks to him, this next chapter was able to get out! If you would be so kind, please read his fic, **Black Emperor Butterflies**, which you can easily get to by clicking on my penname and then going to my favorite authors section.****

Sorry about not updating earlier: vacation, family, and preparing for school, all of it just sapped my time. And when I did get time to write, I had the damn writers block—however, I'm moving nicely along in another fic and working on an AMV for the main coupling in this fic. Anyhow, hope this chapter doesn't disappoint.

**Jiro – **Glad you liked the way I wrote the characters. **Chibi Dragon **–Isn't Non-cold Sasuke great? At least better than angsting-Sasuke **Sakura-chan10 **– Yeah, the romance is weird, it's probably going to be weirder... brace yourself, :) **Bunni-girl **– somehow, someway, I will continue it. **Insomia Productions **– I love painting, wonderful mental pictures, like the ones in this chappie by the way? :p **Yo** – Angst is allright, but I find humor more easier to write. **Nyrgoalie** – Thanks for reading! **:D **– Sasuke was a tad careless, wasn't he? **Dameus **– Only grinning? Hmph, lets see if I can get you to laugh out loud next time. :p **Keitorin **– *shifty eyes* Yes, I wonder just _who_ sent him those chocolates... **Sadistic Demon **– I'd say he'd suffer enough this chapter, don't you? **Chibi-Puchiko **– Whoo-hoo, you're laughing out loud. You have no idea what a boost that is to me. **Bishiehuggler **– More traumatizing images to come! **Noodles3 **– The entire first scene was inspired by your prissy comment. Hope you liked it! **Goddess-Isis-112** - *ear-to-ear grin* thanks *****does a little dance* thanks to Isis' comment* By the way, I love your fics **Naruke **- *sweatdrops* thanks? **Anime-goddess6 **– Cool! **Yurimi-neko **– Sasu/Saku hinties, what? *cough* Ahem, I have no idea what you're talking about, :p **???** – Yep, he did drink it. He drank the whole thing, well... half the whole thing anyway. **MaRCI **– hoped you like toilet-Sasuke in this chapter. **Chriskenfries **– the jokes just got dirtier... enjoy! **GothicAznGirl **– yeah, hopefully, I will finish the story. Thanks for the words of encouragement. **Miya **– Thanks for review, although, my characters are pretty OC in this chapter, hope you continue to read. **:D **– It's uplifting to know you still check on this story.


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